Handpicked: Painting Flowers from 1900 to Today
25 April – 6 September 2026
Inspired by the presence of freshly cut flower displays and paintings such as Cyclamen and Primula (c. 1923) by Winifred Nicholson in the Kettle’s Yard house, Handpicked: Painting Flowers will present works featuring flowers by artists spanning across the 20th and 21st centuries.
This exhibition has been organised with the help of The Kettle’s Yard Community Panel: Bryan Johnson, Abi Moore, Jade Pollard-Crowe, Alan Soer, and Jenny Wood.
When Jim and Helen Ede opened Kettle’s Yard in 1957, one of the key elements of their interior displays was fresh cut flowers. Their flower arrangements created visual correspondences with the forms and colours of artworks in the Edes’ remarkable collection. Handpicked: Painting Flowers will feature artists for whom painting flowers was a lifelong preoccupation, as well as those for whom it represented a brief but intense period of making.
Alongside works by significant figures of the 20th century, including Vanessa Bell, Henri Rousseau, Winifred Nicholson and Christopher Wood, contemporary artists such as Lubaina Himid, Jennifer Packer, Chris Ofili, Caroline Walker and Alison Watt, will breathe new life into a much-loved subject. There will be one artwork from each artist on display.
Artists
Hurvin Anderson, Vanessa Bell, David Bomberg, Louise Bourgeois, Jai Chuhan, Andrew Cranston, Kaye Donachie, Gigi Ettedgui, Anna Freeman Bentley, Marjory Garnett, Tirzah Garwood, Gluck, Lubaina Himid, Howard Hodgkin, Isak of Igdlorpait, Nerys Johnson, David Jones, Poppy Jones, Joy Labinjo, Doron Langberg, Aubrey Levinthal, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Rory McEwen, Cedric Morris, Cassi Namoda, Mary Newcomb, William Nicholson, Winifred Nicholson, Chris Ofili, Jennifer Packer, Celia Paul, Bryan Pearce, Emma Prempeh, Bianca Raffaella, Eric Ravilious, Anne Redpath, Henri Rousseau, William Scott, Judith Tucker, Euan Uglow, Charlotte Verity, Édouard Vuillard, Caroline Walker, Alison Watt, Christopher Wood, and Clare Woods.
Gallery
Access
- The galleries, where exhibitions are shown, and all areas of the Clore Learning Studio (level -1), the Research Space (level 1) and the Ede Room (level 2) are fully accessible.
- We have wheelchair accessible toilets on the lower ground (level -1), ground and first floor (level 1).
- There is a lift giving access to all floors located past the galleries, just beside the Clore Learning Studio on the ground floor.
- Kettle’s Yard welcomes assistance and service dogs in all areas.
- We have large-print versions of the wall text available.
- We can lend visitors small folding seats for taking around exhibitions or using at non-seated events. Please ask a Visitor Assistant for help finding a seat.
This exhibition has been kindly supported by:
Sally and Edward Benthall
Handpicked: Painting Flowers Exhibition Circle
Rajan Bijlani
Peter and Wendy Blythe
Jenna Burlingham Gallery
John and Jennifer Crompton
Nicholas Crompton
Thomas Dane Gallery
Claire and Martin Daunton
Emma Davis
Stamos J Fafalios
Emily and Matthew Flowers
Sean Gorvy
Sarah and Gerard Griffin
Xavier Hufkens
Richard and Florence Ingleby
Lyndsey Ingram
The Jaccaud Family
Lulu Lytle
Leonie McLaren
Suling C Mead
Andrew Nairne and Nicola Dandridge
Maureen Paley
Carlos and Francesca Pinto
Griselda Pollock
Joanna Prior OBE
Jonathan and Nicole Scott
Tiwani Contemporary
Sir David Verey CBE and Lady Verey
and those who wish to remain anonymous
Friends of Kettle’s Yard Handpicked: Painting Flowers Supporters
Julia Bagguley
Clodagh Barker
Annabel Charles
Margie Christian
Mike Efstathiou
Michael French
Penny Heath
Lucy King
Kathryn Knight
Nicki and Christie Marrian
Penny Mason
Sandy Nairne and Lisa Tickner
Jeremy Newsum
Frank O’Connor
Nicci Steele-Williams
Kim and Fiona Walker
and those who wish to remain anonymous
